Beautiful Stranger
by 1irumi8
Summary: He achieved his dream. She waited for him for a long time. But when they met again, he is now just a stranger...a Beautiful Stranger.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis solely belongs to Takeshi Konomi-sensei only. OC and events are just a figment of my imagination

Authors Note: Hello Everybody~! This is my first time publishing a story. I hope that you can enjoy this. I haven't written anything since i was in highschool (trust me, it's a looooooooooooong time ago). Please review, that would be helpful, Thank you! ^^

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Ryoma Echizen almost had it. He's getting closer and closer to his dreams. He's already a professional tennis player. And the biggest dream he has yet to fulfill? To beat his father in a tennis match. And he's going to do that soon as he finishes his ongoing match or rather the championship game.

"Game and Match, Ryoma Echizen, 7 Games to 6" as the umpire announces the latest score, the crowd goes wild and cheered for the young man as he thrusts his hand holding his red racket up in the air with his signature smirk plastered on his handsome face.

After a short press conference about him being this year's champion, he head straight to the airport back to Japan. 'Now I'm ready to beat him. And I'm going to see her again' he thought to himself as he look outside the airplane window as his eyelids slowly closed and his breath evened hinting him sleeping.

He was awaken by the stewardess reminding him to put his seatbelt on signaling them descending to the airport in Japan. He heads out and walk around the airport to find a vending machine so he can purchase his favorite drink. He stops all of a sudden as his eyes lay on a girl from afar who's wearing a pink wavy skirt that is at least 2-3 inches above her knee, with a white tank top underneath a sheer pink cardigan paired with a white one inch high sandals. The girl's hair is auburn and is wavy that is just past her shoulders. She looks like someone he knows, especially those kind brown eyes that is roaming around the airport as if searching for someone. She looked like his former coach's granddaughter, Ryuuzaki Sakuno.

It's been 7 years. He hasn't heard from her since they were in 3rd year of junior high. He constantly receives letters from her since he decided to head back to America after the nationals when he was just a freshman. He appreciates it, even thought doesn't reply to her letters because of his busy schedule on his way of becoming a pro. He even gave her his original racket to her before he leaves. He was hoping that by that gesture she can take the hint that he too cares for her.

'Is that really her? But her hair has shortened. I don't think she will cut her hair. She didn't even cut it even when she was learning to play tennis.' With this thought, he walked past her and continues his search for the vending machine.

* * *

She roams her eyes around the airport to find the love of her life. She's been waiting for his return since they were 15 years old. He's been away from her for a long time and she misses him every single day. She wishes that he will stay for good this time. She walks around for quite a bit and spotted a tall guy with dark greenish hair. She tried to walk through the crowd to get to him. "Ryo…" she whispered as she hopes that he is the one she's been waiting for all this time. As she gets close to him, her eyes watered as tears rises up. She taps the young man's shoulders. He in return turned around to face in her direction. As their eyes met, he wrapped his arms around her and her tears that she's been holding poured down as she wrapped her own arms around him as well. As he puts her down, he placed his hands on either side of her face and looked at her adoringly and planted a soft kiss on her forehead then her cheek and hugged her tightly once more. The redness on her face was becoming more and more evident.

"I've really missed you, Sakuno."

"M-me too, R-ryota-kun." She managed to say with her sweet voice and in between soft sobs because of her crying.

"What did I tell you about attaching honorific in my name?" he said as if teasing her. He wiped her tears with both his thumb and smiled at her.

"I-I w-will get punished?" she said unsure even to herself.

"That's right! You will get punished. But that can wait. Come on, I want to enjoy this day with you." He said smiling as he drag his luggage with his left hand and held her hand with the other as he lead her out of the airport to the line of cabs waiting for passengers. As they travel towards her apartment, she felt the weight of the boy next to her leaned towards her. She looked in his direction and noticed that he is fast asleep but still holding her hand. She smiled warmly towards the boy while looking at his peaceful sleeping face. 'He must be really tired.' She thought as she recalls how they met.

* * *

She slowly opened her eyes and met white ceilings. She wondered why her whole body aches. She looked to her left and noticed a beautiful bunch of Stargazers. She also noticed the IV attached on her left hand and her raised left leg. She then looked to her right and to her surprise, there is a boy at least about the same age as her sleeping in a chair and his head at the side of her bed. She can't see his face because of it being buried in his arms that he uses as his pillow. She slowly reached for his dark green hair and run her fingers through it. The boy jerked awake with her sudden touch. Her hand fell limply back to her side. Their eyes met brown to cerulean. Relief flooded his eyes.

"Y-you're awake!" he said with excitement as he ran outside to call the nurses on duty and let them know that she is awake. She just lay there looking at the slightly opened door where he ran just seconds ago. Confused as to what is happening. She knows that she is in a hospital but why? Her aching head doesn't help her either. The door burst open as the boy earlier entered the room again.

"I'm glad you're awake. You really had me worried back there." He said as he holds her hand and brought it closer to him as a tear threatens to run down his face.

"I-I'm sorry but, who are you? And why am I here?" she said weakly.

"Oh, I'm Enomoto Ryota, you're in the hospital because of me." He said guiltily.

"Because of you?" she asked. He was about to answer her when some nurses and a doctor entered her room to examine her.

"Why are you here Ryota-kun? Aren't you supposed to be in your own room? You need to rest too, you know." A nurse turned to talk to the boy.

"Her grandmother's out getting something, so I told her that I will take care of her granddaughter while she's gone. I don't want to leave her here alone. Besides, I'm feeling fine, I'm not that hurt." He said with a smile as he thrusts his arms back and forth upward showing the nurse that he is indeed okay.

After some time, the doctor talked to Ryota telling him that if the patients relative came, seek for the doctor immediately. Ryota said "yes" and the people take their leave.

"How are you feeling?" Ryota asked the girl.

"I can't say that I'm fine, my whole body aches."

"I'm sorry. It's all because of me." He lowered his head.

"Why?"

"Don't you remember?" her eyebrows just furrowed hinting that she didn't remember what he is talking about. "You were hit by a car, because y-you s-saved me." He said those words uncomfortably. She didn't miss his face that has a tint of pink in it.

"Ah I see." The whole room was silent for a moment as she stared at the ceiling for a moment. She then looked at his direction once again and asked him, "D-do you know my name? I-I can't seem to remember what it is."

"EH?!" he asked loudly. The door of her room opened revealing 8 young men about 1-2 years older than them with an old lady leading them.

"SAKUNO!" the old lady hurried to her side and gave her a hug. The young men don't fail to notice the bandage on the young girl's head and her casted left leg. She also has some bruises on her arms and some on her pretty yet perplexed face.

"Are you alright dear? Does it hurt? Since when were you awake? Have you been checked by a nurse or a doctor?" The old lady asked her frantically. But the old lady realized that the girl's unresponsive to all of her questions even her hug. "Sakuno, are you okay?"

"Is 'Sakuno' my name?" she earned gasps from everybody that is inside the room. "Are you somewhat related to me?" the girl asked the old lady that was hugging her before.

"W-what are you saying child? It's me your grandma." The old lady tried to reach the confused girl's cheeks.

"A-anou, Ryuuzaki-san…" all eyes looked at the green haired boy inside the room. "After the doctor examined Sakuno-chan, he said that you need to look for him immediately when you get here."

"I see. I'll see you later dear." Sumire managed to hold back her tears for the fact that her own granddaughter doesn't recognize her. She excused herself from everyone and headed to look for the doctor's office.

"S-sakuno-c-chan?" A red head called her name very carefully. She looked at his direction,

"Are you related to me too? Brothers? Cousins?" she asked still confusion written all over her face.

"W-what are you talking about Sakuno-chan?" A certain spiky haired boy asked her this time.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I c-can't remember anything." She lowered her aching head as she grabbed a handful of hair each hand and sobbed, tears overflowing her eyes. "I'm sorry b-but, can you all leave me alone for a moment." She asked them in between sobs. They all looked at each other and nodded, understanding the girl's request and headed out the room one-by-one. They all looked backed as she spoke again. "Ryota-kun." Their eyes all shifted to the green haired boy that was following them. "Will you please stay here?" She pleaded the boy. Ryota immediately went to her side to comfort her.

The red haired boy that is usually very energetic closed the door behind him as he walked towards his friends.

"Are her injuries that bad?" the kind short-brown haired boy asked no one in particular.

"Yes, Taka" the stoic guy among them said, confirming the query.

"What happened to her exactly Tezuka?" the red haired asked the stoic boy.

"I don't really know Eiji." Tezuka said bluntly.

"If she can't remember any of us, even her grandmother, why is it that she let that boy that looks somewhat similar to ochibi stay inside her room?" Eiji asked. His voice rose slightly.

"Calm down Eiji." The brunette boy with his eyes closed said.

"Fuji-senpai's right, Eiji-senpai. But, who is that boy anyway?" Momoshiro said with confusion.

"He's the reason why Sakuno is here in the hospital." As the young men converse, they didn't noticed their coach's presence approaching them. They all looked at her and noticed how sad her eyes looked.

"What happened exactly, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" the tensai asked. The boys around her all had their focus on what she's going to say.

"Sakuno's on her way to the nearby tennis court to practice her swings, she saw that kid, Ryota, on the middle of the road not moving a bit. She ran as fast as she could to push him out of the road because a van was approaching, so she got hit of the vehicle instead of him." Ryuuzaki Sumire sighed long and hard. "The doctor said they are suspecting amnesia because of the collision that happened. That explains her not recognizing me…and all of you." they all looked melancholy as they see their coach crying. They all approached their coach and comforted her.

The young girl inside her hospital room have heard the same story as to why she is in there from the young boy that she chose to stay with her. She don't really know why but, she sort of feel like she knows him already. She felt comfortable when their eyes met the first time. Now here he is, making her laugh about his nonsense stories despite her condition.

"How old are you Enomoto-kun?"

"I'm 14, how about you?" the girl just raised an eyebrow to his question. "Oh…you don't even remember a detail like that, huh?" he smiled brightly and scratch the back of his head. She knows she should have been at least getting mad or irritated because of his remark, but she felt like smiling with him more. "Oh yeah, please call me by my name instead of my surname. Besides, we're already friends, right?" he looked hopeful.

"O-of course, Ryota-kun." With her agreeing for them to be friends, his smile a while ago widened a bit more and he tells her another nonsense story of his about his pet dog at home.

'"She seems cheerful now…' Sumire thought as she saw the children inside the room laughing. 'Maybe he can help her. Help her recover fast.'

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How was it guys? please review so that I will know if I should continue this story or not... Thanks a lot! ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Here it is! I'm going to apologize for this short chapter. I'm still thinking this through so please bear with me. And I'm sorry that Ryoma isn't mentioned that much in the last chapter and here too.

daisuke1122: Thank you for your review. I really appreciated it and nearly cried while reading it. I promise I'll make Ryoma's life miserable in this...hahahahahaha. I hope that Fuji's sadistic thoughts will come to me (because we fantasize him as our sibling..hahahahaha).

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Sakuno nudged the young man beside her to awake him from his nap. Ryota jolted awake. Sleepy cerulean eyes welcome her brown ones.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Not that long, come on we're here." She smiled warmly at him as the cab stopped in front of her apartment. As soon as they got out of the cab, Ryota headed to the back of the cab to get his luggage from the trunk where he got help from the driver. As they stood outside her apartment, Ryota reached out to intertwine his hands with Sakuno's. He sighed and looked at Sakuno's apartment, nostalgia coming to him.

"It's still the same." He said with wonder.

"Come on inside, you must be tired from your long flight." Sakuno said with a smile as she lightly tugged his hand forward. He dragged his suitcase and walked towards the front door.

"I told you, I want to spend this day with you." The green haired young men said with a smile then brush his nose against hers adoringly.

"Anou, I don't think that will happen today." The lass said a bit nervously.

"And why is that?"

The auburn haired girl put her keys on the keyhole and twisted it to unlock the door. She opened it completely to reveal their friends waiting for them. Party poppers surprised both of them.

"WELCOME HOME RYOTA-KUN!" the green haired boy was stunned. He did not expect everyone to be there.

"Minna! Arigatou!" He said truthfully. He then turned to Sakuno and whispered on her ear. "I thought I told you to keep this a secret from everyone." He pouted, which Sakuno finds really cute.

"Well, they happen to saw that particular e-mail that you sent me weeks ago telling that you're coming home because I accidentally left my laptop open." She fidgeted a bit. She's feeling guilty that she couldn't keep the boy's request.

"Ne, chibikou (1)! I've missed you!" Eiji jumped to hug Ryota.

"Me too, aniki!" Ryota said as he hugged him back. Seven other young men made their way to Ryota to welcome him home too. He received hugs, smile, tap on the shoulder, smack on his back, some gave him just a nod which he understood perfectly and one bombard him with questions so that he can add information to his green notebook.

"Ryota!" The voice of the retired Seigaku tennis coach called his name softly. He make his way to her. She holds the young man at arm's length as if checking him for injuries. "Okaeri."

"Tadaima, Obaa-san." He said emotionally as he encircled his arms around Sumire.

Sakuno looked at the scene with tears rolling down her cheeks. She was really happy at the moment seeing two of the most important person in her life interact like that.

"Oi Ryota! Your girlfriend's crying." Momoshiro said teasingly as he taps Ryota's upperback to fully call his attention.

"Maybe she's jealous that you're hugging her grandma." The red head said that drew laughter from everyone.

"What are you saying Eiji-nii-san? Of course not!" The auburn haired girl brushes her tears away with her fingers.

"Enough of that, let's all eat now." Sumire said as she led everyone to Sakuno's kitched where a mini buffet was served. Ryota made his way to his girlfriend, hugged her and rested his chin at the top of her head.

"I didn't know that you're that happy about me coming home that your tears of joy are overflowing." He said chuckling as he pulled out from the hug holding her at arm's length, and flash her his beautiful smile. She couldn't do anything but chuckle as well because it was partially true.

"Yes, I am." She nodded. Sakuno grabbed his hand. "As much as I'd like to tell you how happy I am, our friends are waiting for you to join them, and I know how much you missed my cooking more than me." The young lady said laughing softly at her small joke as he drags Ryota to where everyone is.

* * *

Everyone talked happily, enjoying whatever topic somebody brought up. From the tasty feast, present happenings on everyone inside the room such as latest achievement/s, work, new and old hobbies and many more. Sakuno's living room was filled with laughter and joy, something she has not experienced since the man beside her with cerulean eyes left 7 years ago and just come to Japan to visit her once every year for 3-5 days. Although they had fun on those short time that they had together, it's nowhere close to what she is experiencing now that everyone is here.

The only people that keep her company was the old tennis team of Seigaku that her grandmother coaches before, a girl named Osakada Tomoka, that claimed that she is her best friend, and 3 boys her age named Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro. All of them were new faces to her 7 years ago when she was lying in her hospital bed because of her accident. The doctor said she had amnesia. She feels frustrated knowing that she can't remember a thing even the old lady that slept beside her bed every night that she sometimes heard sobbing in the middle of the night.

But they didn't give up on her, especially Ryota. Ryota never left her side when she was in the hospital despite the fact that he is a patient there as well because of some scratches and wounds that she caused when she shoved him out of the street to save him. Well that's what he told her. Having Ryota by her side is like having a personal nurse. He was very attentive to some of her needs (because they are still on the opposite sex). Nonetheless, he always made sure that Sakuno will not be alone if her grandma is out to sort something on the hospital or her work. He was very comfortable to be around with, always tending to her with a smile, he said that it is payback since he is the one at fault of her injuries.

Sure everyone helped in their own ways as well. The tennis team acted as her brothers and spent time with her as much as possible. Sharing stories of them when they were in school, how much she cheered for everyone in tennis practice especially the tennis matches. The trios were kind to her as well. Horio-kun always boasts about his tennis experiences, Kachiro-kun at Katsuo-kun just listened to whatever their friend is saying and supported him and they made her laugh. She can see that they are true friends. Then there's Osakada-chan who's very talkative and a little loud, but Sakuno noticed that Tomoka really do care about her perhaps like a sister. She always tells stories of them together: what they usually talk about, what they usually do together. But all of them that visited and shared stories of her past mentioned one name that they are all worried about Sakuno not remembering: ECHIZEN RYOMA.

* * *

"Tadaima" Ryoma announced bluntly as he close the door behind him. Silence welcomed him. He walked around their house and can only find his Himalayan cat lying in his uncovered bed. "Karupin" he called his cat softly, Karupin bolted upright from sleeping and jumped to his master. A small smile crept on Ryoma's face as he brush the fur of his pet. "Where is everybody Karupin?" Karupin just meowed at his master's inquiry. Ryoma put Karupin down as he heard the sound of the bell of the temple. He smirked at himself because he knew who he will find. He made his way to the temple and saw an old man lying on his side, flipping pages of a "magazine" with its foot in the air tied on the pole that he uses to bang the large bell. He slowly made his way to his father. "Oyaji…" Ryoma said. The Samurai turned to look and be welcomed with those cat-like eyes that his son has. Ryoma smirked as surprise can be clearly seen on his father's face.

"OH! Seishounen…Why are you here? I didn't know that you are that excited to come home after winning the Grand Slam. Are you here to rub it in? I'm not interested." The old man said as he returns his attention back to his perverted magazines.

"I'm here to beat you." Ryoma said with confidence.

"Really?" Nanjirou said with smugness in his voice. He stood up on his feet and stretched his arms, bends his waist on both sides and looked back at his son and smirk. "That sounds like a challenge." The two male stared at each other before their attention drew to a screech of a woman.

"RYOMA! Is that you son?" Ryoma turned to look at his mother who is in tears. Nanjirou, be reflex, picked up his magazine and hid it inside his yukata. She ran towards her son to lock him into a ferocious hug. "Why didn't you tell you're coming home?"

"It's not a big deal mom…" the young man said boredom reflected in his eyes.

"Of course it is, you've been away for so long for your passion. Congratulations by the way! And because of that, I'm cooking your favorite Japanese foods." Rinko said caressing her son's face that is now a head taller than her. "Anata…"(2) she said not even looking at her husband. "What is that you're hiding? Is that what I think it is?" she said annoyed tone seeping from her as she also glared at the old man.

"What are you saying Rinko? O-o-of course not!" he said defensively, quick on his toes, he ran as fast as he could away from his wife and son.

"OI OYAJI!" Ryoma called out to his father.

"Let him be son, come on, let's go inside." Rinko said as she headed back to their house.

Ryoma looked at where his father has taken off. It is the same route where the Ryuuzaki's live. He didn't return just to defeat his father in tennis but to see the only girl that has caught his interest.

'I wonder if she's at home. Maybe I should come by and visit Ryuuzaki-sensei to see her.' Ryoma thought as he headed to their house as well.

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NOTES:

(1) Chibikou – has the same meaning as ochibi. It means a small person

(2) Anata – it directly translates as "You", but some uses it as "Darling"

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How was it? please give this story a review. That will help me think of something. Thank you!


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